Right of Access to Student Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) grants any student currently in attendance, or to any former student, the right of access to inspect or review his or her educational files, records, or data. Students who wish to inspect their records must file a Right of Access Form with the office or department in which the desired record is kept. Right of Access Forms are available in the Office of Student Services or through self service on ISIS. Within 10 days of receipt of the Right of Access Form, the office or department will notify the student as to the date, time and location that the desired record will be available for inspection. The file of each student must contain a record of all non-University affiliated individuals or organizations requesting access to it, plus statements that specify the legitimate educational purposes for which access was requested. The record of access may be released only to University personnel or to state or federal officials as a means of auditing the reporting of access to student records. Information of records concerning individual students may not be released to any individual or agency without written permission of the student. Any request for such information received without such written notice will not be honored and will be returned with a request for a written release by the student.

Educational records may be released without permission to the following individuals or agencies under the following specific conditions:

1. Personnel of the University, i.e., faculty, administrators or staff for legitimate educational purposes only;
2. Officials of other institutions in which the student is enrolled, provided that the student is notified of the release;
3. Federal or state officials in connection with the audit and evaluation of programs funded by the federal or state governments or in connection with the enforcement of legal requirements that relate to such programs or in connection with the student’s application for or receipt of financial aid;
4. State and local officials pursuant to any state statute adopted prior to November 19, 1974;
5. Organizations conducting studies for the purpose of developing predictive tests, administering student aid programs and improving instruction;
6. Accrediting organizations in order to carry out their accrediting functions;
7. Parents who claim the student as a dependent on their IRS statement; and
8. Directory Information: When necessary, in an emergency, to protect the health, safety or welfare of the student or others, to persons who are in a position to deal with the emergency. The following data is considered informational in nature and may be released, without permission of the student, at the discretion of the University: Student's name, major, acknowledgment of a student's participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, date(s) of attendance; degrees, certificates, awards received; the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student and appointment as a Resident Assistant or Community Development Assistant. For graduate students who are teaching credit courses, work department, office address, and employment category are also defined as directory information.

Any student who believes that his or her records are inaccurate or misleading may request a meeting with the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies to discuss the contents of such records. Additional information on procedures or policies relating to University compliance with the Family Rights and Privacy Act can be obtained from the Office of Student Services or visit the main University catalog site at https://www.uml.edu/Catalog/Undergraduate/Policies/Academic-Policies/Student-Records.aspx